They almost look like giant plastic screws hanging off of trees, but these strange objects serve an important purpose in the province.
In fact, these peculiar gadgets are actually insect catchers. They are used as a tool for officials to conduct routine surveillance on an invasive species to BC, the Japanese beetle.
The plant pest was first introduced to Eastern North America from Japan in 1916, and can cause major damage to plants and gardens, as well as agricultural crops. As a result, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency has set hundreds of the traps in order to monitor the population.
Back in June, the City of Vancouver began spraying parks in order to combat the rise of the species after a beetle was detected. The creature has been found in the False Creek area, and subsequently locals are advised to remove as many adult Japanese beetles as possible by hand and put them in soapy water to kill them.
In addition, people are asked to keep the dead beetles and notify the CFIA about the findings.
Japanese beetle larvae feed on the roots of lawns and other plants, which is how they cause damage. What’s more, the species’ adults are heavy feeders. They attack the flowers, foliage, and fruit of more than 250 plant species, including roses, blueberries, and grapevines.
The damage they cause is significant compared to other pests like European chafer beetles.
With files from Jessica Kerr
